25 January 2018

XYLEXPO FAIR IN MILAN, 8-12 MAY 2018: The global trends of technologies for the furniture & woodworking industries

Last Tuesday the Xylexpo press conference was held for the presentation of the next edition of the fair. Below, we report two interventions by the speakers:

Speech Lorenzo Primultini, Acimall President. Here I am again, to introduce the next edition of Xylexpo, the biennial international exhibition of woodworking technology and supplies for the wood and furniture industry. As you know, the event is schedule next May 8 to 12 at Fiera Milano-Rho and will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. The first edition dates back to 1968. So, the exhibition boasts longstanding tradition, which we celebrated two years ago at the 25th edition. Now we are reviewing a story that has spanned a long period of success and growth, with a pause during the crisis years, and now a second youth. Yes, I will tell you immediately that we are very happy about the next Xylexpo, as figures are positive and significant - we will talk about it - and most of all show a very clear picture... but we will talk about that in a while. Before we go into details and specific remarks, let me give a warm welcome to all of you in this room. Some of you are coming from far, far away, so thank you for accepting our invitation. We consider it a sign of esteem and friendship, but it is also evidence that Xylexpo has restored its appeal to the global industry media, because Xylexpo is a topic the industry wants to know about. Such vitality is recognized also by the people sitting here with me today. So, let me thank Marinella Loddo of Ice, always standing next to Acimall – the association that organizes Xylexpo – for the promotion of the Italian industry around the world, and for the organization of this press conference.

Speech Dario Corbetta, Acimall Director. Let me start with an overview of visitors, definitely one of the most critical elements for any exhibition. Well, visitor figures have increased in the past three editions (by 7.1 percent in 2014 and by 14.2 percent in 2016), and we expect to achieve double-digit growth also this year. As President Primultini said, it is clear that the efforts to reposition Xylexpo, combined with an improving economic scenario, have generated a virtuous circle with a clear outline: a quality exhibition focused on secondary operations, capable of involving "big customers” from the global retail and distribution business. Figures indicate that we are the reference exhibition in Europe in even-numbered years: 71 percent of foreign visitors come from the Old Continent, 20 percent from Asia and Oceania, 6 percent from the Americas. An interesting element related to the “type” of visitor is that Xylexpo is most attractive for “panel-based” furniture manufacturers (22.3 percent versus 18.7 percent using solid wood), followed closely by machinery and tools trade (196 percent). This means that the project I have just mentioned has been implemented: the “trade” business is attending Xylexpo, because our exhibition is a key event for technology sales, especially for those companies, including most Italian manufacturers, who do not address users directly. Xylexpo attracts a numerous, interested and qualified audience, coming to Milan as a result of our continuous effort to promote Xylexpo’s contents and potential, in collaboration with Ice and Fiera Milano, which I take the opportunity to thank for long and intensive joint commitment. For more information contact Mr Luca Rossetti, Communication Manager: